Chapter 595 - 23: Yuhua Tower, the Child, and the Snake

Above the snowy mountains, a gloomy tribulation cloud stretched for a thousand miles, obscuring the sky and sun, shrouding the entire land.

Within the tribulation cloud, bolts of violet lightning roamed and churned, emanating wisps of a world-destroying aura.

Feng Yan stood in the void, clad in a black dress. Her face, one of peerless grace, held a faint trace of weariness.

Fang Cheng and Xia Yue stood leisurely atop a snowy peak below, watching Feng Yan undergo her tribulation.

Fang Cheng had so far passed the Fourth Celestial Tribulation, and this was his first time observing someone else undergo theirs. Feng Yan’s Ninth Celestial Tribulation only seemed about two or three times more powerful than his own Fourth Celestial Tribulation.

Based on his understanding of Feng Yan’s strength, passing this tribulation should not be difficult for her.

After all, Feng Yan was someone blessed by great fortune. After inheriting her husband’s Undying Jade, she went on to create the Celestial Demon Slaying Immortal Technique in the Demon Race Sacred Land. As the technique’s creator, she had naturally cultivated it to the Perfect Realm long ago.

After escaping the great tomb, she had cultivated diligently by Fang Cheng’s side for nearly a hundred years. Not only had her cultivation fully recovered, but it had likely progressed even further.

Back then, she had slain her foes and recovered all the fragments of the Undying Jade. It was just a pity that before she could refine it, she was jointly sealed by the four great Divine Monks of the Vajra Realm.

Fang Cheng speculated that over the past century, she must have thoroughly refined the Undying Jade as well.

In other words, Feng Yan’s current strength was even greater than when she had left the Jade Flower Realm.

Just then, the tribulation cloud in the sky finished brewing. Dazzling bolts of violet lightning, carrying an astonishing, world-destroying power, descended from the heavens and smashed down toward Feng Yan.

Feng Yan calmly raised her hand. A watery light spread out and shot toward the sky, instantly intercepting the deluge of tribulation lightning before completely annihilating it.

A terrifying aura slowly emerged from behind her, and the phantom of a ferocious beast quietly materialized.

It had the body of an ox and the tail of a dragon, along with nine ferocious, menacing snake heads that issued a silent roar toward the heavens.

Jiu Ying, one of the ten great Demon Saints of Ancient Times.

The tribulation cloud roiled as an endless stream of Thunder Power brewed within. Soon after, the infinite violet lightning transformed into blades, swords, axes, and seals, surging downward in a vast and mighty torrent.

Feng Yan commanded the Demon Saint Illusion, standing steadfast as she guarded the hundred-zhang space around her. She remained as immovable as a mountain, casually unleashing various Divine Techniques to neutralize the celestial tribulation.

Fang Cheng watched with relish, taking the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Xia Yue. "Fellow Daoist Xia Yue, do you happen to know where the largest market in this realm is?"

Xia Yue, her eyes fixed firmly on Feng Yan, hadn’t expected Fang Cheng to ask such an ill-timed question.

She pondered for a moment before replying in a soft voice, "The Beiming Immortal Race has built a total of ten Immortal Cities in this realm. The markets within each city are quite large, far surpassing the subsidiary markets of other powers. But if we’re talking about the absolute largest, that would have to be Yuhua Tower in the East Sea."

"The tower was built by the Beiming Immortal Race from a single Fusang Ancient Wood that grew in the sea. It stands ten thousand zhang tall. Inside, you’ll find shops from every sect and family in the Jade Flower Realm. For a Loose Cultivator to even be considered to open a shop there, they must be at least at the Life Soul Realm to pass the Beiming Immortal Race’s review."

"You could say that anything you can find in the Jade Flower Realm, you can buy there. And even things you *can’t* find in the Jade Flower Realm, you can buy there too."

Fang Cheng’s curiosity was greatly piqued.

Xia Yue glanced at Fang Cheng and continued, "Only half of the customers in Yuhua Tower are cultivators from this realm. The other half come from the other World Heavens under the control of the Beiming Immortal Race. It’s teeming with experts and gathers Spiritual Objects from eight different World Heavens. If you’re interested, Fellow Daoist, you can go take a look in the future."

Fang Cheng understood. Yuhua Tower was likely the central trading hub established by the Beiming Immortal Race for this realm.

Based on what Xia Yue had said, the Beiming Immortal Race had likely developed Cross-border Transmission Arrays, or perhaps massive Immortal Ships capable of traversing the Outer Void. That meant whether one was in Beiming Heaven or any other Affiliated World Heaven, they didn’t need to reach the Tribulation Realm. As long as they had enough Spirit Stones, they could travel between worlds.

If that were the case, the number of Middle and Low-level Cultivators across these few World Heavens was likely unimaginably vast.

’Good grief. No wonder they can control seven World Heavens. If they keep developing like this, how could any of the other, more isolated World Heavens possibly stand against the Beiming Immortal Race?’

Fang Cheng mused to himself, deciding to visit Yuhua Tower after Feng Yan completed her tribulation.

Just then, he suddenly sensed something and turned his head to gaze into the distant sky.

Although the wisp of an aura was minuscule and exceptionally well-hidden, he still managed to detect it.

He let out a cold snort and flicked his finger. An ethereal Sword Qi instantly swept across a hundred li, seemingly cleaving heaven and earth apart and leaving a fine, straight incision in its wake.

A hundred li away, a water mirror hidden deep within the snowy mountains violently shattered.

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「Tens of thousands of li away.」

Four majestic, thousand-zhang-tall Immortal Mountains floated in the sky. Their slopes were lush with vegetation and thick with primal energy, dotted with radiant Immortal Pavilion Platforms and grand, resplendent palace halls.

Within a lavishly furnished grand hall.

Two Tribulation Realm Cultivators, their auras as deep as the abyss and vast as the sea, silently stared at the shattered water mirror.

One of the two had an otherworldly, immortal-like bearing, with wide robes, long sleeves, and a flowing beard. He exuded an aura that was ancient, yet brimming with vitality.

The other was a three-foot-tall boy, his eyes filled with a baleful energy. A python Spirit Pattern on his left cheek slowly writhed, as if it were a living creature.

"Yelv Daoist, did you get a clear look?"

The long-bearded elder asked slowly, his expression grave.

The two had sensed a shift in the world’s aura a short while ago, which was why they had gathered here. Together, they activated a water mirror Array that had been placed tens of thousands of li away, attempting to investigate the source of the disturbance.

The boy said in a low voice, "It was only a fleeting glimpse, but judging by the scale of that celestial tribulation, it must be for someone at Six Tribulations or higher..."

The long-bearded elder nodded. "According to the ancient texts, I fear it is even higher. If my guess is correct, it should be the Eighth Tribulation."

"The Eighth Tribulation?" The boy frowned. "Every cultivator in the Jade Flower Realm at or above the Tribulation Realm—be they from a sect family or a Loose Cultivator—is registered with the Beiming Immortal Palace. Anyone who is about to undergo a tribulation must report it to the Immortal Palace. So who could that possibly be?"

The long-bearded elder mused, "I know every Tribulation Realm daoist in the Jade Flower Realm. At present, there are only two with any hope of passing the Eighth Celestial Tribulation. One is Gu Yongtu of the Mountain Sea Xuan Sect, and the other is Liu Xuan of the Luling Liu Family."

The boy sneered. "Those two offended the Immortal Palace long ago. Would the Beiming Palace Lord really let them undergo their tribulation?"

"Watch your tongue, Yelv Daoist!" The long-bearded elder gave a bitter smile.

The boy chuckled, unconcerned. "Brother Zhang, in my opinion, it’s definitely neither of those two."

The long-bearded elder pondered for a moment before saying, "You and I both hold the title of Elder in the Immortal Palace, and with it, the authority to monitor the entire world. Now that such a formidable expert has appeared in the Jade Flower Realm, if we fail to report this matter, we’ll surely be held accountable for dereliction of duty when it comes to light. Yelv Daoist, that Netherworld avatar of yours is an expert at concealing its aura. Why don’t you send it to probe again?"

The boy glanced at the long-bearded elder, hesitating slightly. "There’s clearly an expert acting as a Guardian for that person. If I send my avatar, what’s the difference between that and sending it to its death?"

The long-bearded elder tried to persuade him. "I have a Nine Netherworld Lotus on hand. I’ll give it to you as compensation afterward, Fellow Daoist. How about that for sharing the loss?"

The boy’s expression changed when he heard this. "Brother Zhang, you would...? I..."

Clearly, the Nine Netherworld Lotus was an item of great importance to him.

The long-bearded elder stroked his beard and said with a sigh of resignation, "Both of us must rely on the Beiming Immortal Palace. Compared to punishment from the Immortal Palace, what’s the loss of a mere worldly possession?"

The boy cupped his hands. "It is you, Fellow Daoist, who sees the matter with true clarity."

With that said, ghostly qi billowed out from behind him. A large, sinister snake emerged, opened its mouth, and spat out a shadowy figure.

The shadow’s facial features were indistinct, and its body was weightless and ethereal, seeming both real and illusory. It flickered once and vanished from the hall.

...

「Da Xue Mountain.」

The sky was dense with tribulation lightning. Ten Demon Saint Illusions took turns striking out to resist the celestial tribulation.

The celestial tribulation was ceaseless, as if sworn to continue until it had blasted Feng Yan into nothing but ash.

It was lasting far longer than the Fourth Celestial Tribulation that Fang Cheng had undergone.

Fortunately, the Celestial Dao Origin of this realm was "clean," so the tribulation’s power was still within normal parameters. It was simply a battle of attrition.

Ascendant Feng Yan’s ten Demon Saint Illusions constantly devoured immense amounts of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. They took turns attacking, waging a fierce, unending battle. Victory was practically in her grasp.

"Fellow Daoist Xia Yue, do you have a map of this realm?"

Fang Cheng paid no mind to the fact that they had just been spied on with a water mirror, continuing his idle chat with Xia Yue.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Xia Yue couldn’t help but feel secretly annoyed and dissatisfied with Fang Cheng.

’Revered Master invited you here to act as her Guardian, so how can you be so casual...’

Despite her thoughts, she still made a pinching motion in the air, plucking a peach blossom petal out of the void and handing it to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng accepted it with a grin. With a single sweep of his Divine Sense, he learned the entire geographical layout of the Jade Flower Realm.

"East Sea Jade Flower Tower... Tsk. Back again?"

With a wave of his great sleeve, a beam of Taixu Sword Qi shot through the void, instantly annihilating a furtive shadow several hundred li away.

A pitiful avatar at the Two Tribulations level, destroyed on the spot in less than the blink of an eye.

...

「Floating Immortal Mountain.」

Back in the great hall, the boy let out a pained grunt, his face turning deathly pale.

That avatar was connected to his aura and Life Soul; with its destruction, he too suffered a significant injury.

A flash of terror crossed his eyes. His expression awkward, he forced a stiff smile. "What terrifying Sword Qi."

He’d held out a sliver of hope for his Netherworld avatar. Though it was likely a suicide mission, there was always a chance to escape, wasn’t there?

But he never imagined that, once again, it would be discovered after only a fleeting glimpse.

It seemed that to that person, his avatar—which had reached the Second Heaven of the Tribulation Realm—was no different from the water mirror.

Both were shattered with a single strike.

Just who in the heavens was this person?

The long-bearded elder asked hurriedly, "Yelv Daoist, surely you saw clearly this time."

The boy, his heart still racing with fear, said in a low voice, "I didn’t see clearly. I only managed to see this..."

As he spoke, he pointed a finger. Spiritual light surged, sketching a scene in the air before the two of them.

Above a snow-capped mountain, beneath a dense canopy of tribulation clouds, stood ten ferocious and terrifying figures, battling the tribulation lightning between heaven and earth.

As for who was undergoing the tribulation, or who had destroyed his avatar, he hadn’t had a chance to get a good look.

The long-bearded elder was also at a loss for a moment.

He glanced at the boy, then took a jade box swirling with frosty energy from his storage bag and handed it over.

"Yelv Daoist, I am a man of my word."

"Oh, my, I couldn’t possibly accept..."

Despite his modest words, his hands couldn’t stop themselves from accepting the jade box.

The corner of the long-bearded elder’s eye twitched as he gave a bitter smile. "Yelv Daoist, this matter is already beyond our capabilities. We must report it to the Immortal Palace at once."

The boy’s expression turned serious. "That is as it should be."

"The Sword Qi of the person who struck was able to slay my avatar in an instant. Their power is likely comparable to the Beiming Palace Lord. With such a formidable expert appearing in the Jade Flower Realm, it is only fitting that those esteemed Elders from the Immortal Palace are the ones to give them a... proper welcome."

As they spoke, they refined the scene the boy had just observed into a jade slip. Then, they flew out of the palace together, heading east.

...